Mons Esquilinae - The Esquiline Hill (Mons Aventinus)
www.novaroma.org ] COMMUNITY PAGES PORTAL Aventine | Caelian | Campus Martius | Capitoline | Esquiline Forum | Palatine | Quirinal | Trans Tiberim | Viminal Welcome to the Esquiline Hill The Esquiline Hill is one of the celebrated Seven Hills of Rome. The Oppian Hill (Latin, Oppius Mons; Italian: Colle Oppio) is the southern spur of the Esquiline Hill (Varro, LL V.50), one of the famous Seven Hills of Rome. It is separated from the Cispius on the north by the valley of the Subura, and from the Caelian Hill on the south by the valley of the Colosseum. The Oppius and the Cispius together form the Esquiline plateau just inside the line of the Servian Wall. In the divisions of the Septimontium (seven hills - Fest. 341, 348) Fagutal appears as an independent locality, from which we can infer that originally "Oppius" was strictly applied to this spur except the western end (HJ 254‑257; Mon. L. XV.782‑785). The northern tip of this western end was also called Carinae, which extended between the Velian Hill and the Clivus Pullius, looked out to the southwest (across the swamps of the Palus Ceroliae towards the Aventine), incorporated the Fagutal and was one of ancient Rome's most exclusive neighborhoods. At least for religious purposes the name Oppius continued in use to the end of the republic (CIL i2.1003 = vi.32455 — for this inscription, which mentions the Montani montis Oppi, cf. also Pagus Montanus; BC 1887, 156; Mitt. 1889, 278; DE II.2159‑61); no later instance has been found. According to Varro (Fest. 348) its name derives from Oppius, a citizen of Tusculum who came to the Romans' assistance during Tullus Hostilius's siege of Veii. However the word's true etymology is obscure. It may possibly be that of a clan which lived in this area (Jord. I.1.183‑188) - it is noteworthy that it is a gens name of plebeian status. Detlefsen's conjecture (Bull. d. Inst. 1861, 18) that Oppius is derived from Oppidus was revived by Pinza (Mon. L. XV.782), who regards the name as comparatively late. The origin of the name Esquilino is still under much debate. One view is that the Hill was named after the abundance of holm-oaks, exculi, that resided there. Another view is that, during Rome's infancy, the Capitolium, the Palatium, and the northern fringes of the Caelian were the most-populated areas of the city, whose inhabitants were considered inquilini, in-towners; those that inhabited the external regions - Aurelian, Oppius, Cispius, Fagutalis - were considered exquilini, suburbanites. Rising above the valley in which was later built the Colosseum, the Esquiline was a fashionable residential district. At the Oppius, Nero confiscated property to build his extravagant, mile-long Golden House, and later still Trajan constructed his bath complex, both of whose remains are visible today. Farther to the northeast, at the summit of the Cispius, is the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. In 1781, the marble statue of a Discus thrower - the so-called Discobolus of Myron - was discovered. Community Streets for Residents 01 - Clivus Orbius 02 - Clivus Pullius 03 - Clivus Suburanus 04 - Via Labicana 05 - Via Praenestina 06 - Vicus Africus 07 - Vicus Caprarius 08 - Vicus Cuprius 09 - Vicus Curvus 10 - Vicus Iovis Fagutalis 11 - Vicus Sabuci 12 - Vicus Sandaliarius 13 - Vicus Sceleratus 14 - Vicus Viridiarii Sites of Interest * Amphitheatrum Flavium ~ An historical records list of the Nova Roma Ludi events held in the Flavian Aphitheatre (Colosseum) * Auditorium Maecenatis ~ The auditorium was in garden of the Villa of Maecenas and dates from the reign of Augustus. It may well have been a nymphaeum: the "seats" in the apse have openings that may have been for water, which would flow down to form a backdrop for poetry readings/musical performances -- poetry was often sung to musical accompaniment. Here it is the online mailing list of the COLLEGIVM ERATOVS, one of the 10 Colleges of SODALITAS MVSARVM, an association created to promote the arts and sciences within Nova Roma and internationally. We are devoted to lyric and erotic poetry, under the patronage of our Muse, Erato. We fully support the ancient and modern arts through the original contributions of our members and the posting of original works by the ancient masters, as well as through different activities and projects. We are a part of Nova Roma's ambassadors of arts and science to the rest of the world. * Ludus Magnus ~ Historical Archives for Nova Roma virtual Ludi Munera Gladiatoria participants. * Ludus Gallicus ~ Historical Archives for Nova Roma virtual Ludi Munera Gladiatoria participants. * Ludus Matutinus ~ Historical Archives for Nova Roma virtual Ludi Venationes animals. * Ludus Dacicus ~ Online Reference Library for the Ludi Munera Gladiatoria and Venationes. * Praefectura Urbana ~ The general offices of the Praefectus urbi during the empire, which consisted of at least three parts — the scrinia or archives, the secretarium or prefect's office, and the tribunalia, where he rendered his decisions. A restoration is recorded in the fourth century by the prefect Junius Valerius Bellicius. The secretarium was called tellurense, which indicates that the building stood in Tellure, or in vico Tellurensi, near the temple of Tellus. No trace of the prefecture remains, but the epigraphical evidence points to a site just west of the thermae Traianae on the Esquiline. Here it is the Office of the Praefectii (Site Administrators) of the Mons Aventinus Online Community Project. * Temple of Minerva Medica * Domus Aurea * Thermae Traianae ~ Baths of Trajan * Add an historic Roma site in this community or update an unfinished link above Community Administration Praefectus: vacant The position of Praefectus (Prefect) of this community is currently vacant. The Praefectus position is a community administrator, responsible for updating, maintaining and overseeing of this community. Interested in becoming the Prefect of this community? Contact: lucius_vitellius_triarius@yahoo. com www.novaroma.org COMMUNITY PAGES PORTAL Aventine | Caelian | Campus Martius | Capitoline | Esquiline Forum | Palatine | Quirinal | Trans Tiberim | Viminal Category:Mons Esquilinae